Learning the Inbetween

[Kaziki Halcyon]

Kaz sighed. He hated math, despised it really. He held out a hand with his fingers in a pinching motion and poured all of his anger, frustration, and hate into the Force to affect a Force Choke on the various materials on his desk. Of course, seeing as Force Choke was a telekinetic power, absolutely nothing happened and all he'd done was blown out a few negative emotions on the effort. Better than electrifying the whole thing but the necessary sense of outrage for that to not be an actual dark manifestation of the Force was hard to work up in regards to arithmetic. He hated it but it had done him no wrong... though there was a case to be made for it harming countless millions of innocents.

He finally leaned back in his chair and reached out into the Force, curious as to what was going on around him. They were in Hyperspace and there was no danger on the horizon that he could sense. The bridge was quiet, the vessel it's usual quiet efficiency aside from the nexus in the Force across the hallway. That would be Kura. Two of the crew members shone a little brighter in the Force than the others but it was nothing compared to the other Jedi Knight across the way. She had to be meditating to be that shiny so early in the day...

[Kura Nuhok]

She really didn't know which day it was any more.

Space travel blurred every day into one, the passage of time marked only by the arbitrary clocks on board the Corroded Serpent. Kura had spent her time getting to know the ship, its crew, and her partner. She sought their company at every possible opportunity, particularly that of Kaz, when he wasn't otherwise occupied - after all, if they were to partner one another, it was best that they forged a close working relationship.

However, even Kura needed her moments of solitude, and she had taken to spending an hour or two meditating each day, usually immediately after rising, ensuring that she was fully in touch with the Force as the day began. Out of her natural environment, she needed all the help she could get.

Sat cross legged on a rug in her rooms, her eyes lightly closed and her hands resting on her knees,Kura let herself drift, feeling the Force enveloping her, permeating through her. Her breathing deepened, and, to all intents and purposes, she looked asleep. However, her mind was active in the Force, and she took a mental journey through the ship as her starting point, making sure that everyone and everything were as they should be.

Of course they were.

Kura wasn't sure how long she had spent in meditation, but she was jolted back to the here and now by one particular image.

A strange corridor, opulent decor, finely wrought ironwork. The idle hum of social chatter, the faint strains of refined music. She could almost breathe in the mingled perfumes of the wealthy. A warm hand on the small of her back, fingers dusting bare skin, a brilliant, tender smile from Kaziki Halcyon.

From Kaz.

She came back to her rooms with a start, her skin flushed and hot as the image that had danced merrily through her mind stung the backs of her eyes. Whatever had come to her in meditation was likely down to her overactive imagination, a need to get things out of her system. And what better way to tackle it than to train?

Quickly, Kura changed into her fighting garb, the close fitting outfit hugging her slender body, and she casually slung her sash about her hips, at least giving her a little more modesty. Grabbing her lightsaber, she headed purposefully out of her rooms, and across the hallways, knocking authoritatively on Kaz's door. Reaching out with the Force, she could feel him just a few feet away. Hopefully, he would be up for a training session: anything to keep her mind off the image that had just imprinted itself on her."Kaz? Are you free to train with me," she called out.

[Kaziki Halcyon]

Kaz raised an eyebrow as he felt a small disturbance in the Force from Kura, something had caused her a small moment of shock but when it wasn't followed by distress or the like he let it go. That turned out to be a premature decision as several minutes later a heavy knock came on his door bringing a smirk to his face. Togruta... he reached over and pushed a button specially installed on his desk for just what he was about to do. The door opened smoothly, silently, sliding to the side. "Come in, Knight Kura." He called to her from his desk.

Kaz's quarters were larger than Kura's. There were three rooms and the main room had a small kitchenette in it as well. The desk that Kaz sat at was at the back of the main room, facing the door she entered through while the kaleidoscope of hyperspace streamed behind him on the other side of a large viewing screen that took up most of the wall beyond. "Please, have a seat. Are you thirsty? What did you have in mind for this training?" He was working on some paperwork in front of himself through most of that until he looked up, blinked once, and grunted in a fairly primal sort of way.

[Kura Nuhok]

The door swished open, and Kura wasted no time stepping inside. Kaz was seated behind a large desk at the opposite end of the main room of his quarters, and her eyes were instantly drawn to hyperspace slipping by behind him. It almost surprised her that there was no noise: after all, that much movement... it wasn't natural for it to be so utterly silent. Then the rational part of her brain kicked in and dismissed that thought as the nonsense of childhood fantasies.

Fixing her lightsaber quickly to one of the straps around her hips, she tugged back her headtails and started to bind them with a long strip of hide so that they would not interfere with her training. She shook her head as Kaz offered her a seat. "I am not thirsty, and I have no need to sit," she replied, her tone slightly clipped, though her voice was as deep and husky as it always was. "I believe that we should get to know one another's fighting styles, and determine how best to work together to achieve a desired outcome in a battle."

All the while, he hadn't looked up, content to continue with whatever he had been doing before she entered his rooms. However, when Kaz did finally turn his attention to her, Kura frowned slightly. The blink, the grunt... The blush hadn't faded completely from her markings after she had had her vision, and it deepened again. Kura tilted her head proudly. "Is there something wrong?"

[Kaziki Halcyon]

Is there something wrong? Kaz responded instantly and with the smoothness of practice. "Not with anything I can see." And he could see quite a lot and it was hard not to stare a bit longer than was strictly polite. Any red blooded Corellian would and so Kaz thought nothing of that element of his person but just as soon as he could manage it he tore his gaze from her form and set his eyes on her eyes. "I agree with your belief but as with all lessons I think it best if we handle the theoretical before leaping into the practical. Please, have a seat and I promise you won't be disappointed."

He gestured to the chair that sat before his desk in a room that otherwise only had a meditation couch in it so far as sitting surfaces went. "Now, between your lightsaber build and the way you move... and what I know about you..." Kaz watched her with a calculating look. "You strike me as a Form V kind of girl. Am I right?" He continued to consider her eyes only, that was where truth came from after all. When they trained against one another in combat he'd begin to watch the bottom of her rib cage instead. Eyes, in most instances, couldn't kill you but most physical attacks required a shifting of the hips or shoulders.

"I practice Form II. It's not as unpopular as it once was though our numbers still suffer from the long period of disuse the techniques suffered even before Palpatine's Jedi Purge. Here." Kaz was wearing his lightsabers. He almost always wore his lightsabers, to the point where his shoto even went into the shower with him. It was a practical consideration on his part due to his lacking the ability to bring them to himself from a distance. Therefore, he was able to simply reach down and unsheathe his primary weapon and the shoto as well, to lay them both on the desk between them.

The first had a slightly curved hilt, primarily near the pommel and a superficial bladeguard on the back side that served to put a little more surface in place for the wielder's thumb to apply back pressure. It was long enough to use two handed, as even Makashi wasn't a completely one handed style, and had a dark look to it. The second lightsaber was a short, ergonomic handle designed to be used strongly in one hand without losing leverage unnecessarily. "I don't usually wield both but against opponents who are very fast or attempt to batter my defenses with pure strength the guard shoto can prove a useful and potent tool."

((links to the actual appearance of both Lightsabers are in my character profile, linked in the signature))

[Kura Nuhok]

Kura stared back at Kaz as his eyes very obviously trailed over her, along with the reassurance that there was nothing wrong. She really should be used to this: after all, it used to happen all the time at training camp, at least the second time around, and that was one of the reasons that she had taken to wearing the sash around her hips, at least while training. However, her new partner was just going to have to get used to it.

It was Kura's turn to blink now as Kaz insisted on doing some theory before hurling themselves headlong into a mock combat situation. The Togruta were largely a people who learned through experience, and she had found the classroom portions of Jedi camp to be arduous and, at least initially, of no great benefit. However, if Kaz felt that a theory lesson would be of benefit - at least to him - who was she to argue? Nodding just the once, she sat where Kaz had indicated, her hands on her knees.

She couldn't help but smile when Kaz took a guess at her fighting style, nailing it in one. "That is correct," she replied, not wanting to inflate that cocky Corellian ego of his any more than she had to. "You are extremely observant... or just took a lucky guess." She cocked her head to one side, regarding him closely, holding his gaze. "I am a practitioner of the Shien version of Form V, yes. I find that it works well with my level of stamina."

That Kaz used Makashi didn't really come as a surprise either. He had the slim, lithe form of a dancer, which was well suited to a classical duelist, and it was easy to understand why it was successful for him. Watching him carefully as he placed his lightsabers on the desk, Kura listened as he explained their purposes. She nodded in agreement at his decision to carry a second weapon. "A wise choice," she replied, an impressed note settling on her words. "I have often considered training with two weapons, but my Master was a proponent of a single blade technique."

Reaching down to her own belt, Kura almost reverently placed her own lightsaber on the desk. A longer, heavier hilt than either of Kaz's, the deep grey metal gleamed dully under the lights. Deep horizontal grooves provided grip, and a narrow guard circled the top. "The longer hilt provides me the leverage I need to use it double handed, and, if I choose to utilise the reverse grip, I have little danger of my hands getting too close to my own blade." She smiled slightly: of course, her regular use of the plant extract on her skin removed that danger completely, but that wasn't something she felt able to share with her partner. Yet.

[Kaziki Halcyon]

"It's an area of interest and I'm Corellian... probably a little bit of both," he responded to her suggestion that he was either quite observant or quite lucky. "Also, my mother practices Form V, in its entirety, and she helped me shore up a few of my weaknesses as a duelist." He shrugged, mothers being what they were. His had taken one look at the state of the galaxy and immediately forgot her friendly competition with her husband to throw her own expertise into making their shared student as defensible as possible. "We'll look like twins when it comes time to deflect blaster bolts, I'm sure."

"Thank you, my Masters were very particular about helping me find the weaknesses in my chosen style with an eye toward closing the gaps. Both of them wield single blades but I place a higher degree of emphasis on lightsaber mastery than either of them and considering the nature of my endeavors for the Order I can expect to come into single contact with a great many more lightsaber wielding opponents than either of my parents. So, it's a matter of practicality partially." Kaz seemed to look a bit chagrined. "It also happens to be a matter of fascination. Like I said the other day, I collect lightsabers. Some I constructed myself, others belonged to... fallen friends... and three belonged to opponents. I'm a student of the art both historically and in practice."

He rubbed the back of his neck as he pulled himself out of the self-reflective moment to study her lightsaber. Kura's was a straight handled classic build, though longer than standard. It would, just as she suggested, provide her with greater leverage and even a more kinetically powerful outside lateral swing. The unpolished metal would reduce glare and increase stealth potential in areas of directional lighting. The drawback was that the increased surface area made the weapon more susceptible to direct attack. That same leverage could be used against her, he was certain of it even as he realized he wasn't yet sure exactly how. "Obviously not to the same degree but the curve at the pommel of mine provides extra leverage as well for certain striking angles."

"Have you ever trained in any alternate techniques? Aside from Jar'Kai as you've already mentioned that. Tandem fighting? Aquatic? Mounted? Trakata, perhaps?"

[Kura Nuhok]

Kura leaned forward with interest as Kaz explained how he had correctly identified that she was a practitioner of Shien, a slight smile on her lips. "I did not know that your mother taught you," she answered, genuinely surprised. "In fact, I know precious little of import about you, Kaz. That, too, is something we should remedy at the earliest possibly opportunity." After all, how could she work with him if she didn't know anything about him?

She nodded at his comment about blaster bolts. "The trick comes not in the deflection itself, but how you aim and utilise the bolt after you send it back," she explained, a light tease in her voice. "But of course, I am sure you are already aware of that." While Kura had little compunction about sending a blaster bolt straight back to the person who fired it against her, if, tactically, a bolt would be better served to cause a distraction, she was just as happy sending it off elsewhere, causing as much damage as possible to give her a window to create a fast, devastating attack of her own.

Nodding as Kaz told her that part of the reason he carried two blades was fascination, as well as practicality, Kura raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps, then, I could prevail upon you at some point to assist me in rounding out Shien to make it more effective against a single opponent," she asked. "It would seem that we each possess strengths where the other is lacking."

She smiled as Kaz explained that the curved hilt of his primary lightsaber gave him a similar advantage with regards to leverability. "The longer hilt also allows me greater freedom of movement for my hands, lending me the ability to rapidly change between grips, and therefore providing me with many more options for counterstrikes against blades or blaster bolts," she explained. "However, I can appreciate that it would not work for Form II."

A little taken aback at Kaz's next question, Kura smiled. "I trained in Tandem with my master, and have a little experience of Mounted and Trakata, although I did not manage to find a way to integrate Trakata successfully into Shien. Do you have any suggestions?"

[Kaziki Halcyon]

"Mother and Father, actually. Officially, I was my father's padawan and my mother had one of her own but by necessity we often trained together." Kaz smiled at her obvious curiosity at the minor detail of his past. "I'm sure we will get hip deep in each others' life stories in short order. Till then it appears we both have our deep dark secrets." He leaned back in his chair and watched the Togruta across the desk.

"I'm familiar with Shien theory, yes." He smiled back. "I'd be happy to assist you with working on your Djem So, I could use the brush up myself since I focused on the deflection and multiple opponents elements of Shien myself after my initial introduction to Form V. Shored up my Makashi use nicely. I have to say, it's good to have another Jedi around now that I have had a chance to consider the matter. The Antarians do their best but it's hard to stay sharp when I spend so much time isolated from the challenging opponents."

Kaz nodded at her statement that Makashi didn't utilize a reverse grip... pretty much ever. For good reason too, as the practice lacked precision which was the basis of Makashi in the first place. Counter striking was a great tactic, though Makashi focused on smaller movements that drew out openings in which to attack. "So a basic introduction to a few of the other elements of the dueling picture. Trakata, for Form V, is particularly useful for a trick called the guard pass. Let you finish a fight quickly against an opponent with particularly strong defense."

[Kura Nuhok]

"It sounds as though you have had the best possible grounding in multiple forms," Kura replied, more than a little impressed. To be trained by two Masters in such wildly different styles was an absolute boon, and one that, in hindsight, she would have loved to have had the chance to experience. Training under the one Master, especially another Togruta, had had its benefits, but, when compared to the wealth of experience that Kaz appeared to have amassed, she was at a distinct disadvantage.

She smirked slightly as the other Jedi more or less flatly refused to tell her anything more about himself, and the smirk turned into a knowing smile. "Indeed we have," she replied, inclining her head. Two could play at that game. "I look forward to discovering more about you as our time together progresses." In turn, Kura was perfectly capable of keeping things from him, too.

Nodding as Kaz agreed to help with the Djem So variant of Form V, Kura smiled slightly. "And if you ever wish to become yet more proficient in the use of Shien, I would be more than happy to assist," she replied. Not that she could teach him much, she would bet. She tossed him a surprised glance as he expressed his pleasure at having another Jedi around, if for nothing more than the challenge in training. "I only hope that I can be as formidable an opponent as you require, Kaziki Halcyon," she teased, almost certain that she was capable of keeping him on his toes in a duel.

Kura sat back in her chair and listened as the young Corellian outlined how she might Trakata, and she frowned slightly. "I would appreciate it if you could possibly give me a demonstration during our training session," she replied. "While I remember its basic premises, I had not managed to assimilate it successfully into my duelling." She shrugged. "I don't know why I could never master it." She gazed curiously at Kaz. "And you? Are you trained in any alternative techniques?"

Ask a stupid question...

[Kaziki Halcyon]

"Three, but that's one more than most Jedi I suppose. Forms I, II, and V seemed like a fine balance to me. Five is an advancement over three, two and four are highly incompatible, and I'm far to committed to the art to find six of any use. Sadly, or perhaps not so much, seven is lost to us though I could write up an argument for seven to have never been an actual form seeing as it was never successfully taught to another." Kaz shrugged, not showing any undue pride in his education though certainly not putting it down. "I believe I have all the tools I need to be effective without having to resort to anything... desperate."

"I look forward to sharing." Wait, was he being secretive?

"Practice is all I need, I think, in regards to Shien. I'll never take to a reverse grip as my foundation will always be in the noble Makashi. I needed Shien's breadth of focus and blaster defense, Djem So's strength and endurance. I float somewhere in the middle in my studies of Form V but having another practitioner close at hand is a great, great boon." He took his lightsabers and returned them to their separate sheaths, another oddity for a Jedi as many simply left theirs to dangle on a belt hook, loop, or clip. "Whether you are or not, I have little doubt we'll both improve as long as we can stay open to the opportunity."

"I'd be happy to demonstrate a guard pass. It's about the only way to quickly defeat a strong Form III practitioner, otherwise you have to tease them out of their defense and slip into the gap. At least on even ground. The trick to Trakata is practicing it until you don't have to think about it as a tactic. If you aren't used to using it then you have to focus on it to use it correctly and unless they aren't paying any attention that's usually enough warning for an opponent to defend against it." He nodded, mostly to himself as he went over the problem with Trakata. "I file it firmly in the quick trick category, and have only added one or two instances to my repertoire to handle extremely aggressive opponents. Oh, and the aforementioned masterful defenders."

He smiled at her last question. "I've toyed with a few, given heed to some and brushed off others. A little Jar'Kai though I've adapted it to Makashi. I think, as far as alternative techniques go, the only one I've spent an overt amount of time with formally would be Sokan. With Makashi being as reliant on footwork as it is a strong understanding of the affects environment can have on a duel seemed prudent in the extreme. Other than that, purely academic."

[Kura Nuhok]

Kura could feel the heat in her skin subsiding, and her markings returning to their normal creamy-white, as the all-business conversation with Kaz continued. That was the way things should be - although she sincerely hoped that Kaz didn't think that she was on the lookout for another Master: they were equals, at least technically, and that was how she wanted it to stay.

"It sounds as though it is a fair balance," she conceded, feeling suddenly at an extreme disadvantage. While she was extremely proficient in Shien, she hadn't incorporated any other forms into her style to any great extent, and was rapidly becoming aware of how unprepared that meant she was. "I would hope that we can learn from one another as times goes by. I, for one, am aware of my own shortcomings, and would look to remedy those."

She couldn't help but wonder whether Kaz was aware of any shortcomings he may have himself.

She nodded as Kaz asserted that he only needed to practice with regards to Shien, and Kura leaned forward again, elbows on knees, hands clasped in front. "Maybe I can convince you of the advantages of the reverse grip in Shien," she shrugged lightly. "With your stature, you may find it of use in certain circumstances. However, neither of your lightsabers would particularly lend itself to the technique." She smiled slightly. "I would certainly hope that we are of use to one another in training."

Though she listened intently as Kaz spoke about Trakata, Kura was getting a little restless, and would much rather be going through practical demonstrations than listening to her partner pontificate. She found it far easier to learn through doing than through listening. "It sounds as though you had better share your repertoire of quick tricks with me, doesn't it," she smirked, her voice lightly teasing again. "After all, I do not wish to be caught off guard when we are fighting together." At least, though, with the passive echo-location offered by her head-tails and montrals, there shouldn't be a massive amount that would take her by surprise when they were fighting side by side.

She raised an eyebrow as Kaz explained that he utilised Sokan when dueling, and Kura leaned back and crossed her arms. "And what if the environment could be adapted to suit you," she asked, wondering precisely how much he knew about her powers. After all, while she had mentioned that her use of the Force focused on the natural world, she had mentioned her controls over the environment itself only in passing, a fleeting comment that she hadn't expanded upon.

"Do you think that could be something you could use to your advantage?"

[Kaziki Halcyon]

"It has to be. Makes up for that major, glaring weakness I have." He commented off hand. Having an entire column of Force powers that were completely unavailable to him left plenty of free time for mastering his lightsaber without taking away from his other Force abilities. The fact that he had a high degree of talent for the blade had just made it all the better. "Still plenty for us to learn from one another though, even if not that."

He stood and chuckled at her teasing that he might take up the reverse grip. "I've got a backhand stab, does that count?" he joked back at her. He tugged the front of his tunic and jerkin straight and headed around the desk. "Let's go, miss impatient." He paused and looked her over for a moment and gave her a teasing wink. There were no quick tricks when it came to a woman of such appropriate proportions. Kaz gestured toward the door for her to join him on a walk to the cargo hold. "Definitely need to get used to one another if you're going to be swinging the tree limb around me."

"Are you teasing me about telekinesis?" He paused and raised an eyebrow at her question about altering the environment. The answer was no, he had no ability to alter the environment unless one counted electrocuting the sin out of something. "It is beyond my ability as a Halcyon so I tend not to waste time thinking about it at all."

[Kura Nuhok]

Kura knew little about Kaz: she had been briefed only in a basic capacity, and he hadn't shared very much with her at all since they had met. "What is this weakness of which you speak," she asked, genuinely puzzled. So far, he hadn't shown any hint of weakness: in fact, he was probably one of the more rounded and better developed Jedi she had come across. "You talk as though this is something I should have known already. I'm afraid I am in the dark!"

She laughed at his comment about the backhand stab. "It is as good a place to start as any," she chuckled, shaking her head, her bound head-tails shaking only slightly with the movement. She tilted her head, eyes narrowed, studying Kaz closely, looking him appraisingly up and down as he sat behind his desk. "In fact, for you, the reverse grip might be beneficial for your secondary blade. If you are willing, it may be worth trying out even if just for a short while."

Following Kaz's lead, Kura stood, her sash falling into place and affording her what little modesty it allowed. However, it was how she felt comfortable, and anyone with issues had better get used to it. Grinning at his wink, and eager to get training, she easily fell into step beside him. "Oh, there is no need for you to be concerned about your safety," she laughed. "Using my montrals, I will be able to sense your position without having to resort to the Force."

Frowning slightly, and stopping in mid-stride as Kaz asked whether she was teasing him about telekinesis, Kura shook her head vigorously. "I am not teasing you, Kaz, not about that. I would never do that," she replied, an earnestness to her voice. "I meant literally changing the environment - weather, seismic activity, plant growth... things like that." She quirked an eyebrow upwards. "I asked, because environmental control falls within the scope of my abilities. If it is something that you could specifically make use of, it is something we should train in."

[Kaziki Halcyon]

All else aside he paused and looked at her, his eyes and the Force examining her for any signs of false innocence. Nothing stood out though he had to admit he had no practice at reading Togruta for the little cues that would give such a thing away. "They need to work on briefing people, or just turn all such intelligence matters over to Intelligence." The Masters at large wouldn't do that. It would mean power sharing and giving up their ability to influence and track those they considered theirs. "I'm a Halcyon, from the bloodline of the same name."

"Like my father before me, and so on back to the dawn of our line, I have the dubious distinction of being completely, utterly, and totally incapable of affecting an object, any object, via telekinesis. Regardless of size, shape, range or any other criteria save one. I can't lift a pebble from my own palm with the Force without the outside influence I just hinted at." Kaz took a deep breath and let go of the feelings of frustration and self-pity having to explain that to somebody inevitably inspired in him. "That's why I'm so thoroughly practiced in my swordsmanship, as well as one or two other unusual Force abilities. With no need to spend my focus on Telekinesis I had plenty to spare on other studies often neglected or ignored by other Jedi."

He nodded quietly to her. "I can see the advantages to your powers, broad stroke as they may be compared to the way I usually work." Even as he was talking about it he realized that, if nothing else, it would make his detachment capable of dealing with the Sith Empire like a turbolaser rather than the scalpel they'd been to that point. It was an intriguing thought that might be put to good use in several places that were in desperate need of a little show and tell. "Fascinating possibilities, indeed..."

It took a few moments but he shook himself out of it shortly. "Come, let's go to the cargo hold. There is a great deal we need to work on, and a lot of Antarian Rangers to impress... also, I have some roses at the manor that could use your attention." He laughed and headed out the door.

[Kura Nuhok]

Kura stood there silently as Kaz studied her, content to let his initial distrust and disbelief wash over her until he was satisfied that she was telling the truth about not knowing of his weaknesses. "Yes, they should have briefed both of us more fully," she replied candidly. She frowned lightly as Kaz mentioned that he was a Halcyon, as though it should mean something to her. Maybe it should, maybe it was something that had been taught at camp, but it was nothing that she could recall.

"Oh..."

The one syllable escaped her as Kaz bitterly explained that he had no telekinetic powers whatsoever, and therefore made up for it with his skills with a lightsaber. Suddenly, some of the brash cockiness that he had displayed on their first meeting made sense: he was constantly trying to overcompensate for an area in which he felt he had failed, through no fault of his own.

"I am sorry, I was not aware," she replied quietly, a single nod acknowledging Kaz's discomfort at having to explain his weakness to her. "There is no shame in it, though. You are clearly a far more balanced and developed Jedi than most, and I, for one, am honoured to be working with you."

She smiled lightly as Kaz acknowledged the potential uses for her powers. "My use of the Force stems from the environment and the natural work," she explained. "The Togruta, as a people, are very much in touch with the land, with nature, with animals." She took a glance downwards. "That is why most Togruta - me included - choose to go barefoot as much as possible. And it made focusing on the natural side of the Force a logical choice for me."

It was almost as though Kaz shook himself out of his slight melancholy, slipping easily behind the jokey front he liked to show to the world. "If I had known that we were to provide a floor show for the Rangers, I would have worn something a little more revealing," she laughed. "As for the roses... if you wish to enlist my services as a gardener, you will need to pay me accordingly, my Lord!" Without hesitation, Kura followed Kaz through to the cargo hold. She was looking forward to this.

[Kaziki Halcyon]

"Unfortunately, it's a weakness that anybody with a sense of Jedi history can become aware of rather than a secret. Several holocrons, not even major ones, mention our bloodline as well as a few others that may or may not be extinct now." He strolled them down the central hallway as he spoke. "Another reason I carry a second lightsaber, why I studied Makashi with its focus on avoiding being disarmed, why I have studied more deeply into other abilities." He wasn't wearing his robe this time, making his form all the more plain. Many Jedi, especially as they got older, relied more and more on the Force to keep them physically capable of the rigors of being a Jedi. Kaz obviously didn't plan on that. It even looked like he might work out.

Kaz chuckled at her joke about wearing something more revealing. "If you'd done that I might have thought you'd had a different form of workout in mind when you'd come to visit. I worry that I might not have been able to control myself. I am a young man after all." He joked back at her. "As far as money goes," he assured her. "I am possibly the most wealthy Jedi in the galaxy. On two fronts, money is no object. You'd look good in a sun bonnet." He teased lightly as they approached the turbolift.

"I'm guessing you're an adherent of the Living Force with that particular take on things."

[Kura Nuhok]

Kura listened intently as Kaz explained about the fact that his bloodline had no telekinetic control within the Force whatsoever, and wondered lightly why the Jedi Council wouldn't have partnered him with someone who had a little more than average powers in telekinesis. However, it was clear that their abilities contrasted and complemented one another's extremely well, and, with some training, they should be able to form an effective unit.

"I am certain that you more than make up for your lack of telekinesis," she replied, arcing an eyebrow at him. "So tell me of these other skills of yours that are so often neglected." This was turning into a real game of "you show me yours", only in an truly Jedi sense.

That blush started to spread across her markings again as Kaz commented on her prpopsed lack of attire, but Kura laughed heartily all the same. "Maybe I had better afford you fair warning when I wish to fight without the sash in place," she remarked innocently, the sparkle in her eyes giving away the fact that she was joking. It was rare that she would fight without the sash in place: aside from a little more modesty, it also protected her a little around the hips, where she might not be able to be so thorough with the application of the plant extract. She pursed her lips as Kaz asserted that she would look good in a sun bonnet. "If either of us were to wear the sun bonnet... I feel that you would be the more likely." She'd fight to the death to avoid wearing something so humiliating, unless it was the only option open to her as a disguise.

Nodding steadily as Kaz guessed that she adhered to the Living Force principle, Kura smiled slightly. "You guess correctly. After all, if all things did not at least contain some element of the Force, how would I be able to manipulate things such as plant life, and the environment?" She shrugged. "And you? Are you a proponent of the Living Force also?" Not that it mattered to her; as long as they could work together, he could believe what he wished.

[Kaziki Halcyon]

"I'm certain you're right," he replied smoothly, small smile meeting the arced eyebrow. "It's going to ruin the surprise but I suppose it's for the best. The other side of the credit to being a Halcyon is more than worthy compensation. We have an exceptional talent for the Affect Mind line of powers, as well as Absorption. If I absorb energy from an outside source I can even effect some heavy handed telekinesis, remind me to tell you about Neeja Halcyon sometime. His tale makes for an excellent illustration of how that can work out."

Kaz hit the button to bring the turbolift up as he continued. "I'm accustomed to working with others, the Corellian Jedi have survived by remaining tightly knit. As a result we've kept Luke's Order's practice of the Battle Meld alive and well, and I practice the Battle Meditation in conjunction with this. I can teach you to accept the meld. It will make us both more dangerous to our enemies, capable of acting in close proximity with no fear of harming one another, and in fact will make us capable of acting almost as a single being. We could, conceivably, take on an opponent who would otherwise be too much for both of us."

"Fair warning would be good. We try not to drool in public." He glanced sideways at her. "You are capable of fighting while wearing more, yes?" Kaz didn't mind what she was wearing, not personally. He'd long ago stopped worrying about the sense of fashion or practicality, or anything else really, of others. The trick with Kura was that Kaz often had to dress himself (not a problem) and his Antarians (occasionally problematic) to match the various situations and environments he had to go into. What would get passed into a Hutt fiefdom would get Kura, and Kaz by extension, tossed bodily from a corporate picnic on Corellia.

The turbolift arrived, the doors opened, and Kaz stepped aboard to man the control panel. "You're worried I would look better in it. I understand." He nodded sagely, playing as if that were the simple and easy to see fact of the matter. "I can't blame you. Females of many species are concerned with such things. Appearances, and the like. You have my understanding, Kura." So magnanimous a gesture he made, as he placed a hand over his heart and gave her a empathetic expression. Turned out he was a fair actor to go along with his illusions.

"The fact that the Force permeates all things, especially living organic things, is a verifiable fact. I have no problem with it as a basis for the Living Force to stand on. Where it loses me is when the philosophy starts and it assigns a dichotomy of good and evil to the Force itself. I find no reason for this other than it allowed some early Jedi to divest himself of responsibility for the negative emotions, thoughts, or deeds that he or she was feeling. Oh, I understand the desire. So much more attractive to say the Dark Side of the Force is trying to seduce me, it isn't something about me. I'm not jealous. I'm not possessive. I'm not angry or vengeful or greedy or what have you."

"No, I can understand the desire to do this. Certainly. However, I have chosen a path that demands I take responsibility for me. A path that doesn't leave me hung up on distant sources of good and evil when I can fight that battle right here in my own heart. Where it starts." Kaz smiled to himself. He took a step back and pretended to pick up a soap box that he then dropped into an imaginary belt pouch. "I am an adherent of the Unifying Force."

[Kura Nuhok]

Affect Mind??

Kura, of course, knew of this particular family of Force powers, but, with the exception of one teacher at Jedi camp, had never truly come across an adept in the techniques. Her estimation of Kaziki Halcyon edged up yet another notch. "A most impressive set of skills," she replied sincerely, a slight smile twitching into place. "You are, indeed, full of secrets, Kaziki Halcyon," she teased. She was under no illusion that the Affect Mind set of powers were utterly invaluable, and, coupled with her very real ability to directly affect the environment, they had the opportunity to confuse an enemy to the point that they might not be able to tell the difference between reality and fantasy.

An intrigued smile slipped into place as Kaz explained that he also practiced Battle Meditation and Battle Meld, and Kura set her hands on her hips, listening intently, as he explained that he could teach her how to accept the Meld, so that they could act as one being. "That is intriguing," she admitted. "I am open to working with this Battle Meld of yours, but we must find ways to make sure that your powers and mine can function in tandem whilst we are melded." The last thing that she would want was to sacrifice her own abilities in the Force simply to be a mirror of Kaz.

Tossing Kaz a mock-glare as he asked whether she could fight wearing something a little less revealing, Kura grinned, probably the warmest, most genuine smile that she had given to Kaz since they had met. "Of course I can," she laughed. "As well as my Togruta robes, I have traditional Jedi robes, and I can fight in either, if the need arises." She flicked him another challenging smile, crossing her arms over her chest. "And you? Are you capable of fighting wearing less?"

Following him into the turbolift, her walk almost more of a stalk, Kura stood beside him, hands clasped in front of herself, she chose to ignore his comments on the sun bonnet thing. Some things were best left stored up for later use. However, his take on the Force was - in some ways - the direct opposite of hers, and she couldn't help but wonder whether his almost over-zealous speech on the matter wasn't aimed at attempting to force her to reconsider her beliefs.

"It's not necessarily that I accept and support the idea of a dark side and a light side to the Force," she replied carefully. In many ways, her own personal interpretation of the Living Force spanned many of the creeds and doctrines of both the Living and the Unifying Force theories, something which had driven her Master to distraction on more than one occasion. "I, too, believe that personal choice has far more to do with how you use the Force - or allow it to use you - than any inherent goodness or evil that comes to you from the Force. Yes, there are certain... slants to how the Force from certain living beings can be used - or prefer to be used, at least - but, ultimately, the final decision is mine and mine alone." She hoped that Kaz would be able to understand her interpretation, and that they wouldn't come to blows over their philosophical leanings.

She glanced sideways at Kaz and smiled. "My Master would disown me now to hear me talking in this manner."